Fastener tape



Aug. 17, 1965 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 A. W. M MURRAY FASTENER TAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet l jag 4.

M/Vf/VTOR ARTHUR 14 MNUQRA Y Arr kA/E'Y Aug. 17, i965 A. W. MCMURRAY FASTENER TAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1963 Rm Y mwwww mm; fi w R U 7% E Y B United States Patent 3,2ti0,462 FASTENER TAPE Arthur W. Mclviurray, Crauford, N.J., assignor to Boriand industrial Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Yorh;

Filed Feb. 2 3, 19113, Ser. No. 261,154 4- 'Qlaims. (Cl. 2d-2l5.16)

This invention relates to zipper tape slide fasteners and more particularly to improvements in the zipper tapes of such fasteners.

The tapes which are commonly used in Zipper tape slide fasteners have generally consisted of woven tapes which have been woven on narrow looms in a ribbon form. Fastening elements with interengaging projections are attached to opposite edges of adjacent tapes. The fastening elements may take the form of individual pieces of metal which are clamped to the tape, or be constituted of modified coils of a nylon or other plastic member which is attached to a tape. When individual metal pieces are employed, it is usual to clamp them upon cords or braids which have been stitched to the tape and sometimes an edge of a tape is thickened during weaving for providing a cord-like base to which individual fastening elements are clamped. The sewing of a nylon or other plastic member, or of cords, to a Woven tape sometimes causes the tape to stretch, and stretching can also occur when the tape of an assembled zipper is sewn into a garment. The stretching which occurs as a result of either or of both of these sewing operations is often the cause of malfunctioning of a zipper. Malfunctioning can also result from an in-built variation in the width of a tape which develops as the tape is woven. If the edges of woven tapes deviate from parallel lines, or the tapes are not truly straight, sewing and clamping problems occur that are cause for interruptions in the manufacturing process by which the fastening elements are applied. Another cause of malfunctioning of a zipper is due to the shrinkage of tapes when they are dyed or when garments are washed and dried.

Among the objects of the invention is to void deficiencies which give cause for the malfunctioning of zipper tape slide fasteners made with narrow woven cotton tapes. It is a principal object to provide zipper tape slide fasteners having lightweight tapes possessing a high degree of flexibility, low elongation or stretch, and low shrinkage in washing and drying.

Another object is to provide zipper tape slide fasteners having tapes which are truly straight and flat and of uniform width.

Still another object is to eifect savings in the cost of zipper tape slide fasteners.

The zipper tape slide fastener of the present invention incorporates novel tapes each of which is constituted of a singie strip of cloth which is folded and laminated by a suitable plastic. The tapes are highly flexible, are uniformly strong widthwise at any place along their lengths, have a very low stretch under tension, and are highly resistant to shrinkage during Washing and drying.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may "ice lal

be carried out, may be understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which FIG. 1 is a general view of a zipper tape slide fastener incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a strip of plastic which becomes the lamina of a tape;

FIG. 3 illustrates an assembly of a folded strip of cloth and a plastic strip, before bonding;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section of the cloth strip shown in FIG. 4, before folding;

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the finished composite tape;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of one of the tapes shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of a similar tape to which individual metal fastening elements are clamped, the illustration showing parts broken away; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view exemplifying the various steps of the novel process by which a tape is produced.

The zipper tape slide fastener illustrated in FIG. 1 includes two similar tapes I0 and II which are disposed adjacent one another and have opposed edges 12 and I3. Fastening elements are attached to the respective edges 12 and E3 of the two tapes. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the fastening elements are constituted of a series of uniformly spaced projections 14 which are parts of a continuous modified helix formed of a suitable plastic such as nylon. The modified helix is attached to the strip by stitching 15, as is well understood. Other forms of fastening elements may be used with the tape of the pres ent invention, such as, for example, individual metal elements 1.6, as shown in FIG. 8. The elements 16 are clamped onto cords, 1'7 and 18, respectively attached by stitching 19 to the opposite sides of a tape as is customary in the manufacture of conventional zipper tapes.

Each tape it) and 11 consists of a single strip of cloth 20 (FIG. 5) which is folded as shown in FIG. 4 to envelop a strip of plastic 21. The plastic strip is in the form of a thin film of a suitable plastic which becomes, in a finished tape, a lamina 22 sandwiched between and bonded directly to the oppositely facing inner surfaces of the folded cloth. The structure of a finished tape is graphically illustrated in FIG. 6.

The plastic of the plastic strip 21 (FIG. 2) may be constituted of any suitable thermoplastic synthetic resin, such as polyethylene, various polymers, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene and polyesters. It is desirable that a low density plastic be employed. While a strip of plastic having a thickness of 0.004 of an inch may be used, excellent results have been obtained with a polyethylene strip measuring about 0.002 of an inch thick. The plastic strip is derived from a large roll of plastic which is slit to produce a strip of a precise width. The plastic strip has a width substantially equal to the width of the tape desired to be produced and the edges of the strip are parallel to one another.

The cloth strip is derived from a large roll of cloth which is slit to produce a flat strip (FIG. 5) of a predetermined width. The strip is taken from a supply roll and folded into the form shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the warp threads of each strip of cloth are disposed lengthwise of the strip and the Weft threads extend crosswise of the strip. The invention enables the use of a lightweight, plain or square weave cloth of suitable construction and fiber content. The cloth may be made from cotton or any suitable natural and synthetic fiber yarns or from any suitable mixture or blend of such natural and synthetic fiber yarns.

Prior to the folding of the strip of cloth, the strip is in a flat form, as shown in FIG. 5. The flat strip is folded in passing through a folding device at the lines of fold indicated at 24, and 26, thus providing two longitudinal edge portions 27 and 28 and two adjacent sections 29 and 30. The sections 29 and 30 are of equal width and correspond to the width of the finished tape. The strip of cloth is folded in the manner shown in FIG. 4 to enclose the plastic strip which has a width substantially equal to the width of the sections 29 and 30. The fold line at 25 becomes the edge of the tape to which the fastening elements of the zipper are applied.

The fold lines at 24 and 26 provide the other edge of the tape which is slightly thickened because of the inwardly folded longitudinal edge portions 27 and 28. Edge portions having a width of no more than of an inch are adequate, but a width of of an inch will provide a tape having the flexible characteristic desired for the tape of the present invention. It is requisite that the lines of fold at 24 and 26 be equidistant from the central fold 25 and that they be in parallel relationship to each other when the cloth is folded.

As indicated hereinabove, the folded cloth as shown in FIG. 4, and the strip of plastic are laminated to produce a composite tape, as graphically illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG 6 graphically shows the composite tape after the assembly of the folded cloth and the plastic strip shown in FIG. 4 have been subjected to heat and pressure and laminated into a composite tape.

The structure of the tape and its physical characteristics will be more apparent from an understanding of the manner in which it is laminated.

The tape is produced by a continuous process during which a strip of cloth of suitable width is folded over a strip of plastic having a width substantially equal to the desired width of a finished tape. Both strips are concurrently drawn from their respective suppy rolls, FIG. 9. The cloth strip 20 is folded about the plastic strip 21 in the relationship previously described in passing through a conventional folding device. The assembled strips are drawn through a series of heating and pressure-applying stages by a pair of rollers 31.

Upon leaving the folding device the assembled strips are pressed against each other and held in alignment by a pair of fold nip rollers 32. The nip rollers are set with a light pressure and serve the purpose of maintaining the folded cloth strip and plastic strip in registry in advance of their entering the first heater.

Upon leaving the fold nip rollers, the assembled strips pass directly to the first heater by which they are pressed together and heated at a temperature sufficient to melt the plastic.

The first heater consists of two plates, a lower fixed plate 33 and an upper plate 34 which is positionable to exert light pressure by its weight on the travelling assembly of strips. Heating is continued at substantially the same temperature as the assembled strips pass through a second heater which includes a fixed lower plate 35 and an upper plate 36 which is also positionable to provide light pressure by its weight on the travelling assembly of strips. There are separate thermostatic controls (not shown) for the first and second heaters. The plastic film is converted into a viscous film by the heat of the heaters. The pressure exerted by the heaters tacks the inside surfaces of the folded cloth together with the creases at 24 and 26 superposed and parallel to the crease at 25, FIG. 6.

Upon leaving the second heater, the viscous plastic cools slightly and then the cloth strip is subjected to a A, relatively heavier, though moderate, pressure by a pair of rollers 37. The pressure exerted by these rollers causes more intimate adhesion of the soft plastic with the inside surfaces of the folded cloth.

The travelling strip is then subjected to a higher degree of pressure by the pair of rollers 31 which exert sutficient pressure to force the plastic between and about adjacent threads of the cloth whereby fibrilliform projections of the plastic enter between the threads of the cloth. As a result of this treatment the inside surfaces of the folded cloth are completely bonded to each other throughout the width of the cloth by the plastic lamina which forms when the plastic sets. In order to laminate tape which is truly straight and flat and to insure uniform flexibility throughout the finished tape, the various rollers and heating plates are grooved to accommodate the extra thickness of the folded cloth across the edge portions 27 and 28. The grooving is of such a depth that the rollers and plates exert uniform pressure throughout the width of the tape.

The manner of employing the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing disclosure. While the method and means described illustrate a manner of producing the results desired, it is understood that some of the various features may be modified without departing from the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a zipper tape slide fastener,

a pair of tapes adapted to inhibit differential stretching and shrinkage along their edges,

said tapes being adjacent one another and having opposed edges,

each of said tapes constituted of a composite laminated structure composed of a single strip of cloth enveloping a plastic lamina, each tape having parallel straight outer edges and the width of said plastic lamina being equal to the full width of the tape throughout its length whereby the width of the tape and the straightness of its outer edges are fixedly determined,

the warp threads of each strip of cloth disposed lengthwise of the strip and the weft threads extending crosswise of the strip, each strip folded inwardly on a line of fold at a crease in the cloth forming the edge of a tape which is opposed to the said edge of the other tape,

fastening elements along said opposed edges of the respective tapes and having a plurality of uniformly spaced projections projecting toward the opposed edge of the other tape,

the other edge of each tape defined by two folds bordering superposed sections of the cloth strip which are substantially coextensive with the width and length of the tape,

each strip having inturned longitudinal edge portions respectively connected to said sections by respective ones of said two folds with one of said two folds separating one of said edge portions from one of said sections and the other of said two folds separating the other edge portion from the second of said sections,

said plastic lamina sandwiched between and bonded directly to the oppositely facing inner surfaces of the folded strip, said lamina consisting wholly of a coherent film of a thermoplastic synthetic organic resin which has been applied under heat and pressure into adhering relationship with said oppositely facing inner surfaces of the folded strip and having fibrilliform projections indiscriminately distributed between threads of the cloth at the inner surfaces of the folded strip,

the lamina having an area substantially coextensive with the area of tape,

said tapes having a high degree of flexibility.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said lamina has an average thickness no greater than 0.0004 of an inch.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said lamina consists of polyethylene.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said edge portions has a width no greater than five thirty-seconds of an inch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,775,353 9/30 Marinsky 24205.16 1,852,176 4/32 Marinsky 24--205.16 1,903,960 4/33 Dreyfus 161-96 6 8/40 Marinsky 15 66 6 11/41 Silberman 24-205 .16 7/42 Chandler 161-94 2/45 Andler 24205 .16 12/47 Kuhn 161-94 1/53 Cadgene 156-308 9/59 Johns 24-205.16

FOREIGN PATENTS 7/ 5 6 Italy.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Examiner. 

1. IN A ZIPPER TAPE SLIDE FASTENER, A PAIR OF TAPES ADAPTED TO INHIBIT DIFFERENTIAL STRETCHING AND SHRINKAGE ALONG THEIR EDGES, SAID TAPES BEING ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING OPPOSED EDGES, EACH OF SAID TAPES CONSTITUTED OF A COMPOSITE LAMINATED STRUCTURE COMPOSED OF A SINGLE STRIP OF CLOTH ENVELOPING A PLASTIC LAMINA, EACH TAPE HAVING PARALLEL STRAIGHT OUTER EDGES AND THE WIDTH OF SAID PLASTIC LAMINA BEING EQUAL TO THE FULL WIDTH OF THE TAPE THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH WHEREBY THE WIDTH OF THE TAPE AND THE STRAIGHTNESS OF ITS OUTER EDGES ARE FIXEDLY DETEREMINED, THE WARP THREADS OF EACH STRIP OF CLOTH DISPOSED LENGTHWISE OF THE STRIP AND THE WEFT THREADS EXTENDING CROSSWISE OF THE STRIP, EACH STRIP FOLDED INWARDLY ON A LINE OF FOLD AT A CREASE IN THE CLOTH FORMING THE EDGE OF A TAPE WHICH IS OPPOSED TO THE SAID EDGE OF THE OTHER TAPE, FASTENING ELEMENTS ALONG SAID OPPOSED EDGES OF THE RESPECTIVE TAPES AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF UNIFORMLY SPACED PROJECTIONS PROJECTING TOWARD THE OPPOSED EDGE OF THE OTHER TAPE, THE OTHER EDGE OF EACH TAPE DEFINED BY TWO FOLDS BORDERING SUPERPOSED SECTIONS OF THE CLOTH STRIP WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH THE WIDTH AND LENGTH OF THE TAPE, EACH STRIP HAVING INTURNED LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SECTIONS BY RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID TWO FOLDS WITH ONE OF SAID TWO FOLDS 